(2022-06-19) [Shadows Intensify] (S6E7 - White Squad Log)

Details

Author:	inkie
Summary:	White Squad does some Ghostbusting, and roots Yet Another Necromancer out of the depths of Auchindoun, then discovers a bigger threat buried deeper still. Someone heard (erroneously) that Mizzy likes shadows, so they put Shadow in her shadow.
Rating:	M for Mature 17+

Arc: Season 6

Ismene stands nearby, watching Ben. Because Ben. Dippy romantic look at no extra cost.
Cressidha adjusts the precise rotation of her hat very carefully into Gwen's 'Dedication' position.
Bennarin is assembling sandwiches by the cookfire, because this is important preparatory work for Ben.
Ismene murmurs, "I do worry sometimes that he eats too many sandwiches. It doesn't seem quite healthy."
Bennarin is a growing lad.
[Cressidha]: Sandwiches are versatile. You can put all manner of different things in them. So.
[Ismene]: And I can assure anyone, he is very, very healthy.
Bennarin finishes stuffing sandwiches into his pack, slings the pack over his shoulder, looks around and spots the girls. He grins.
[Bennarin]: Hey, ladies.
Ismene grins, then looks sidelong and realizes it's Cressidha. I mean she knew, but she didn't KNOW-know.
[Cressidha]: Hello, Ben. What kind of sandwiches were you making?
Ismene blushes but doesn't clarify her earlier statement or her 'if you know what I mean' grin.
[Bennarin]: Clefthoof meat. You tried it? Good with pickles.
[Cressidha]: I have not… that I know of, yet. May I?
Cressidha hands out water.
[Bennarin]: Yeah, 'course.
Bennarin sets his pack down and rummages. He trades Cressidha a wrapped sandwich for a flask of water.
Cressidha takes it and packs it away carefully in a bag. "I shall save this for later."
Silvestre waves.
[Silvestre]: Hi everybody!
[Cressidha]: Good afternoon, Silvestre.
[Bennarin]: Hey, Sil.
[Ismene]: Thank you, Cressidha. I can't imagine how you make water! But it's incredibly refreshing.
[Ismene]: I mean create water! Not… not make w– Because I would NEVER disc– Only that see– But of course you create it. Either way, I sup– But I mean magically!
Ismene shuts herself up.
[Cressidha]: Do you… want the technical explanation?
Ismene says in her tiniest voice, "No thank you."
Cressidha smiles. She doesn't seem bothered. "Good, it's very long."
Silvestre tries not to laugh.
Bennarin looks around. "Just Sir Gavynn again, I guess."
Bennarin frowns.
[Silvestre]: I guess a lot is happening over in the Plaguelands, yeah? Maybe he's feeling pulled back there.
[Bennarin]: Dunno. Maybe.
Bennarin shifts his weight restlessly and looks around.
Ismene assures Ben, "He'll be here. He wouldn't leave us without help."
Cressidha nods.
[Bennarin]: Would rather not go into a necromancy den without him, because paladin, but. I ain't want to cut us too fine. We promised to get the job done.
[Silvestre]: Yeah, that necromancer fellow following up after the exarch. Reckon there'll be another one in a week?
[Bennarin]: Rate they are climbin' out of the tombs over there, yeah. Probably.
Bennarin sighs.
[Ismene]: Oh… I almost forgot we were going after another one.
Bennarin nods grimly.
[Cressidha]: There!
Bennarin glances over. "Ah. There he is. Okay. We ready?"
Gavynn pants, rushing over, merely giving a thumbs-up.
Ismene smiles and waves at Gavynn.
Cressidha offers Gavynn some water.
Bennarin nods to Gavynn.
[Bennarin]: We'll get movin', then.
Cressidha fetches Cinnamon.
Silvestre gives Sturdystrasza a comforting pat on the neck.
Cressidha leads her horse down through the tunnel.
[Gavynn]: If this is the last time we have to wander this maze–
[Bennarin]: Yeah. Agree.
[Ismene]: Let's hope it is.
They enter the antechamber before the Crypts.
Bennarin eyes the bone pile.
Bennarin nods to Ha'lei.
Into the Crypts they go!
Ismene eyes the place and sighs. Oh well.
Bennarin rolls his shoulder and eyes the room ahead warily.
[Bennarin]: Okay. Stay back, I'm gonna get the lay of it.
Silvestre nods at Ben.
Surprise! The draenei shadowpriests bring friends. Ghost friends. Who mind control people. “People” means Gavynn, in this instance.
Gavynn and the ghosts are defeated. Gavynn and the Ghosts is the name of my emo band.
[Cressidha]: Ev– everyone all right?
Bennarin eyes Gavynn.
[Silvestre]: These necromancer types are no joke.
[Silvestre]: But yeah, I'm good.
[Bennarin]: Okay, I'm gonna draw 'em real careful.
Cressidha nods.
Ismene murmurs another prayer that seems to be the same prayer she just did, but… Y'know. Extra help.
[Ismene]: That went better.
[Bennarin]: They got extra ghosts in their pockets. Watch for that.
[Bennarin]: Like fucken murlocs.
Cressidha, quietly, makes a murloc 'rlglglgl' noise under her breath.
[Gavynn]: Looks like lots of those spirit things floating around in the air. May be coming down to join the fighting.
Bennarin squints at the air.
[Bennarin]: Okay.
Ismene sighs at Sir Gavynn. "Lovely."
Silvestre watches a friendly ghost walk by.
Auchenai Vindicator says: You will pay for this violation.
They do not.
[Bennarin]: Okay. Good.
[Silvestre]: So many bones in here.
Cressidha takes deep, even breaths. She seems focused. Maybe it's the power of the pointy hat.
Bennarin watches the Phasing Stalker warily.
[Bennarin]: Those ones ain't even notice us.
[Silvestre]: I think they're good dead people.
[Silvestre]: Like the kind we can see now, right?
[Cressidha]: Ah.
[Gavynn]: Imagine most here just want to be left alone.
[Ismene]: I sympathize with them.
[Silvestre]: Can you imagine? You think you had a good life and you're done… and oh no, here's a necromancer pulling shit.
Bennarin eyes a patrolling Auchenai Monk up and down.
[Bennarin]: Want that one to go on away. But maybe no such luck.
[Silvestre]: There she goes!
[Bennarin]: Luck!
[Cressidha]: Call sheep if you need. I can only sheep the people, not the spirits.
Cressidha flicks her wrist, dispelling a curse from Ben.
[Bennarin]: Wait, gettin' her now.
[Silvestre]: Lichen over there, I'm gonna grab it.
[Bennarin]: Least the bone piles are good for a chase.
Cressidha nods politely to the passerby ghost.
Ismene steps out of the path of the ghost, because polite.
Bennarin stares as a ghost walks right through their fight, oblivious.
[Bennarin]: Huh.
[Silvestre]: Maybe they can't see the world of the livin'?
[Silvestre]: Like we couldn't see them, before.
[Cressidha]: Perhaps they see this place the way they remember it being, in life.
[Bennarin]: Maybe, yeah.
[Bennarin]: Okay. Keep here a minute.
Silvestre flashes a smile at Cressidha. "That'd be a lot more pleasant for them, I'd guess."
Cressidha interrupts a blizzard to remove a curse from Ben. "Hm."
[Bennarin]: I mean I hope it did not look like this in life. What you reckon it was like, before?
Bennarin cranes his neck upward to peer through the shattered ceiling.
[Cressidha]: I imagine the bones were put away in, ah, containers.
[Ismene]: That's what I think. Like those giant crypts.
[Ismene]: Or… whatever they're called.
Silvestre thinks about it. "Probably, yeah. And stuff wasn't so crumbled."
[Silvestre]: Catacombs?
[Silvestre]: Some kinda shrine here.
[Bennarin]: Original, or necromancer?
Bennarin glances to Gavynn.
[Cressidha]: It seems original to me.
[Gavynn]: Looks like the ones that were out by the entrance.
[Silvestre]: Yeah, I was thinking… looks like people put offerings and stuff?
Ismene nods.
Bennarin nods and turns back to study the shrine again.
[Silvestre]: Seems like a respect-for-dead sorta thing.
[Bennarin]: Incomin’.
Bennarin startles as a Phasing Stalker appears.
[Bennarin]: … damn.
[Cressidha]: Minding her own business…
[Bennarin]: You reckon we would see 'em without that potion?
[Silvestre]: Maybe not?
[Ismene]: They all do that, though. Show up in a sparkly cloud.
[Silvestre]: Glad they're not this thick around Shattrath and other places.
[Ismene]: Too many living people in cities.
[Ismene]: Think how thick they'd be in Stormwind, for example.
[Cressidha]: Well, does Sir Gavynn see– ? I suppose that wouldn't prove much, paladins can detect the undead…
Gavynn grimaces.
Ismene gives Gavynn an apologetic look for the Stormwind comment.
[Bennarin]: Yeah, I hadn't thought. Sir Gavynn, you see 'em too, yeah? Would you anyhow?
[Gavynn]: Oh there's here, alright. Just some are a little more conspicuous than the others
[Gavynn]: The necromancers' work, perhaps?
Bennarin nods.
Ismene shivers and looks around.
[Gavynn]: The other crypt halls were not like this.
[Bennarin]: Hold up. Drawin' 'em to us.
[Bennarin]: And yeah, you are right. They was not.
[Bennarin]: Miss Cressidha. A sheep if you please.
[Cressidha]: I'll need to move up.
Cressidha stops to eat that sandwich Ben gave her earlier.
[Bennarin]: … oh, good call.
Bennarin settles down with a sandwich too.
[Cressidha]: Delicious. The pickles really do give it something.
[Bennarin]: Right?
Bennarin grins at Cressidha.
[Bennarin]: Gonna draw 'em back to us when they make their round.
[Cressidha]: Understood.
[Bennarin]: … I think.
[Bennarin]: That is a long round they are on.
Bennarin eyes the bridge ahead, and then studies the swirling red lights on either side.
[Silvestre]: Think this was here before?
[Silvestre]: Looks kinda evil.
A Raging Soul coalesces in a cloud in front of them and attacks.
[Bennarin]: Shit.
[Ismene]: That was new.
[Bennarin]: Now we got angry ones appearin'.
[Silvestre]: Yeah, not so nice ghosts.
[Bennarin]: They are the same red as that light. Keep eyes up.
[Gavynn]: The air is afoul in this place.
Bennarin nods grimly at Gavynn.
[Cressidha]: They're coming back. Want a sheep?
[Bennarin]: Back up.
[Bennarin]: Okay. Keep to the middle. I do not like that light either side.
[Silvestre]: Looks like a long fall.
[Bennarin]: … you had to say.
[Ismene]: Ben!
Another Raging Soul has materialized to attack Ben. This was a miscalculation on its part.
Ismene smiles at him.
[Bennarin]: … I'm good.
[Silvestre]: Good call on stayin' at the center.
[Silvestre]: Those things toss us.
At the end of the bridge, a pair of Auchenai Monks stand facing down some kind of demonic abomination at the top of a staircase.
[Bennarin]: I am goin' at those two. We, uh. Will keep back from the stairs for a bit, till we get a plan for it.
[Ismene]: Are they… fighting it?
They might have been, but then they were fighting White Squad, and now their fighting days are done.
Bennarin eyes Shirrak the Dead Watcher up and down.
The Raging Souls are still kind of ragey.
[Gavynn]: Let's get off this bridge. I don't think they appreciate our intrusion.
[Ismene]: Maybe it's just the bridge near those red pylons?
[Silvestre]: Off the bridge is that thing.
[Bennarin]: Let's get close up to the stairs at least.
[Silvestre]: Wasn't there somethin' like that in Hellfire? In the Citadel?
Ben approaches the foot of the stairs cautiously. He reaches the bottom step and then retreats.
[Bennarin]: Oh shit.
[Bennarin]: There is somethin' in the air there.
Cressidha inhales sharply.
[Ismene]: Cressidha?
[Bennarin]: You feel it? Like a cold.
Ismene looks her over.
[Cressidha]: It's– take a few steps forward and you'll feel it.
[Ismene]: I'm willing to believe you.
[Gavynn]: An oppressive force, not unlike in the Blood Furnace.
[Silvestre]: I got nothin'. But maybe I'm not sensitive to that sort of thing? Already got skin prickles from the bridge.
[Gavynn]: Not quite as strong but much closer.
Cressidha readies her elemental bracers.
[Bennarin]: Well. Reckon we will kill him an' shut that down, then.
They kill him, and shut that down.
Cressidha inhales deeply. She exhales. "It's stopped."
Bennarin prods the dead thing with his mace.
[Bennarin]: What is it?
[Ismene]: I honestly have no idea. I wonder if it's… created.
Ismene bends down to peer under it.
[Silvestre]: Maybe some sort of demon?
[Silvestre]: Seems like most bad things around here are.
Cressidha nods.
[Gavynn]: The orcs were keeping one of these in the Citadel, right?
[Cressidha]: It does look like the one in the Blood Furnace.
Bennarin steps back from the corpse and looks at Gavynn. He nods.
[Bennarin]: Yeah, we seen one there.
[Silvestre]: Yeah, that's what I was talkin' about. I didn't see it, but from what people were sayin' round the Company.
[Bennarin]: Still don't know what it is, though. Demon, like Sil said?
[Gavynn]: It must be, of some kind.
[Ismene]: Now that it's dead, I can't tell. And when it was alive it… had that shield or whatever.
[Cressidha]: Hm.
[Bennarin]: It is the ugliest fucken octopus I ever saw, anyhow.
Bennarin spits on the ground.
[Ismene]: I think they were keeping it trapped in here.
[Silvestre]: Why?
[Ismene]: If you were a bunch of magic users, would you want that thing wandering?
[Cressidha]: Absolutely not.
[Bennarin]: You reckon they summoned it or it got let loose in here at 'em somehow, or what?
[Silvestre]: Oh, you think they had it imprisoned here?
[Bennarin]: It did look like those ones was trying to hold it back.
[Ismene]: I don't know. I just know both sets of guards at either end were facing it.
[Bennarin]: … so maybe someone apart from necromancers got in here first and summoned some shit of their own.
Ismene says softly and glances at Gavynn, "Some places are so terrible, evil things appear there without anyone calling them."
[Silvestre]: This might be an enemy-of-my-enemy situation.
[Cressidha]: Hm.
[Ismene]: I suppose we'll see if what's beyond it is terribly different than what was on that side of it.
[Cressidha]: Well, there's a skeleton.
[Silvestre]: Uh… yeah, looks different, Mizzy.
Silvestre peers at the animated skeleton.
[Silvestre]: Maybe it's a undead demon thing, then.
[Ismene]: I wish we had some way of warning off the good ghosts.
[Silvestre]: With all these skeletons…
[Gavynn]: Well, at least this is more familiar.
Ismene can't help it, she has to giggle at Gavynn.
[Bennarin]: I dunno how many friends this one's got, exactly. Keep sharp.
[Cressidha]: Understood.
[Silvestre]: More shrines in there.
[Gavynn]: For certain, these ones aren't simply wandering ghosts. Skeletal soldiers must be raised.
Gavynn asks Ben to wait.
Bennarin peers ahead warily. He nods at Gavynn.
[Gavynn]: There's more beyond this hall.
[Gavynn]: Lots of ‘em.
[Cressidha]: Ah.
[Bennarin]: Damn. Okay.
[Gavynn]: We must be getting close to the necromancers.
Two more Auchenai Monks appear, on patrol. The gang dispatches them.
[Silvestre]: Oh, not skeletons though.
[Silvestre]: I mean these ones. Look like death priests again.
[Bennarin]: Are the ones ahead? Skeletons? Can you tell?
Bennarin looks to Gavynn again.
[Gavynn]: We'll soon find out.
[Bennarin]: Okay. Behind me, y'all.
Cressidha cracks her knuckles. Frost forms on the backs of her hands.
[Bennarin]: … uh. Yeah.
[Ismene]: That… is lots.
[Gavynn]: It's skeletons.
[Silvestre]: And a necromancer? Maybe?
[Bennarin]: Yeah there is black robes in there with 'em.
[Cressidha]: Want a sheep? He looks alive. I think.
[Ismene]: We can fix that.
[Bennarin]: I can hang on to him if Gavynn wants to swing some Light around at them skeletons.
[Cressidha]: Understood.
[Gavynn]: Let's stop them raising these forces right here.
They smite really quite a lot of skeletons. Well, Gavynn smites them. Ben smashes and Sil stabs and Cressidha shatters and Ismene… heals. Not the skeletons.
[Silvestre]: Weaker skeletons, at least.
Bennarin eyes the heap of shattered bones approvingly.
[Bennarin]: We are startin' our own bone pile.
[Cressidha]: Simple enough.
[Gavynn]: Still plenty left to deal with.
[Ismene]: I feel like the last few necromancers we dealt with weren't so easy for us.
[Bennarin]: Yeah. We are gettin' good at necromancers.
Silvestre chuckles. "Was gonna say the same."
[Bennarin]: They do have a hell of a lot of bones to work with in here, though.
Gavynn unfastens a bottle of [Stratholme Holy Water] from his belt.
Auchenai Necromancer yells: Outsiders are forbidden!
[Bennarin]: Sorry, should've told us that sooner.
Cressidha laughs despite herself. She covers her mouth.
Bennarin grins over his shoulder at Cressidha.
Silvestre chuckles.
[Ismene]: I think as far as we've gotten, we should be considered insiders.
Bennarin laughs.
[Silvestre]: You know you got a point. We're basically death priests ourselves, honorary or somethin'.
[Ismene]: I am not!!
[Silvestre]: Did the initiation thing.
[Ismene]: Sil!
[Ismene]: Ben, make him stop.
[Bennarin]: Silvestre Marie Silentstep, you quit upsettin' the lady.
[Silvestre]: What? They were a good order, right? The ones that hadn't gone off wrong.
[Ismene]: Death Priest… Hmph. I dare you to call Niris that.
[Silvestre]: I am sorry, Mizzy. You are clearly a life priest.
[Bennarin]: Mrs. Hazan does not want to be a death priest, an' you cannot make a lady if she don't want to.
[Cressidha]: Is that him, at the end of the hall? Maladar with one 'A'?
Ismene looks to the end of the hall. "Oh…"
Bennarin sits down with another sandwich and eyes Exarch Maladar (with one A) speculatively while he eats.
[Bennarin]: Hell of an armor he got on. He does look… commandin'.
[Silvestre]: Musta stole it off the last guy. Did Blue do anything with the body?
[Ismene]: It seems to be a good rule of thumb that the larger the shoulder armor is, the more likely one is to be in charge of something.
Silvestre checks around at the relative size of shoulder pads in the group.
Silvestre whispers to Mizzy, "I think you're right, Ben's are the biggest."
[Gavynn]: What's left to deal with in these tombs? Are the Shadow Council just sending more sorcerers in to take over?
[Cressidha]: Other than him, you mean?
[Bennarin]: You know, for all of 'em we seen creepin' around up above, I have not seen none of 'em down here so far. It's birds and Ethereals and necromancers. Where is the fucken Shadow Council in this place?
[Cressidha]: Hm.
[Gavynn]: Maybe once we deal with him we can find out.
Bennarin rolls a shoulder and sizes up Exarch Maladar. With one A.
Exarch Maladar (with one A) yells: There is no turning back now!
Exarch Maladar (with one A) yells: Stare into the darkness of your soul.
Exarch Maladar (with one A) yells: Rise, my fallen brothers! Take form and fight!
Exarch Maladar (with one A) yells: Let your mind be clouded.
Exarch Maladar (with one A) yells: This is… where I belong.
[Cressidha]: Did… he just… was that anoth–
A cool breeze caresses White Squad. Gentle, melodic humming resonates throughout the chamber. A naaru descends like a fancy chandelier.
Ismene stares up at D'ore.
Bennarin gapes up at D'ore, his expression softening with wonder.
Cressidha looks up.
[Cressidha]: Ah… hello.
Bennarin kneels before D'ore.
Ismene walks to Ben's side and bends to take his elbow, urging him to rise.
Silvestre whispers reverently. "Guess that Naaru hadn't got out before the new guy came in."
[Bennarin]: I can feel it, *Ben says quietly*, but he ain't sayin' anything to me.
[Bennarin]: Anyone hear him?
[Ismene]: No. But he's not in distress.
[Bennarin]: No. Yeah.
Bennarin continues to stare up at D'ore.
Ismene looks at Gavynn. "Do you hear anything?"
Gavynn shakes his head.
[Cressidha]: I just hear the chimes. I don't think he's trying to say anything.
[Cressidha]: Just… he seems to be at peace.
[Bennarin]: Were they holdin' him here? Or somethin'?
Bennarin looks around like he wants to fight the whole place again.
[Ismene]: Maybe A'dal will know.
[Bennarin]: … yeah. Okay.
[Ismene]: I can't imagine anything keeping him here now, certainly.
[Cressidha]: Should we perhaps tell those outside?
[Bennarin]: Yeah. Yeah, let's tell 'em.
Ismene looks at the alcove.
[Cressidha]: That's just a dead end, isn't it?
[Bennarin]: Well, then.
[Silvestre]: Guess we got to retrace.
[Bennarin]: Watch out for anythin' gettin' up again.
Cressidha keeps an eye on the bone piles they pass.
Bennarin eyes a bone pile like he dares it.
The Observer’s corpse has vanished from the top of the staircase.
[Bennarin]: That thing's gone.
They step onto the Red Bridge again.
[Silvestre]: And don't fall here.
[Silvestre]: Or you might never stop.
[Ismene]: Oh. I wonder if those pushy red ones will show up.
Ismene eeps!
[Cressidha]: Seems so.
[Silvestre]: That would be a yes.
In the next room, rather than follow the passage around to the staircase, Sil leaps through a gap in the broken wall and vanishes below. Because Sil.
[Bennarin]: … Sil.
Bennarin sighs.
They return to the antechamber full of grieving draenei pilgrims and wandering ghosts.
[Ismene]: We should also warn them about that bridge, now that we know Sir Gavynn was correct.
[Bennarin]: Yeah.
[Bennarin]: Do we warn…
Bennarin looks around. They should probably not warn the ghosts no one else sees.
They have been followed from the crypt by a familiar-looking shade. It passes right through them to approach the ghost of Greatfather Aldrimus.
The Spirit of Exarch Maladar (with one A) says: The dark ones had taken hold of me, master. You were merciful in seeking my death. Forgive me…
Greatfather Aldrimus says: In death, all is forgiven…
Spirit of Exarch Maladar (with one A) nods.
Ha'lei smiles.
[Bennarin]: … you see that?
Cressidha nods slowly.
Bennarin stares after the Spirit of Exarch Maladar. With one A.
Ismene smiles.
[Ismene]: Well. What do do for an encore?
[Silvestre]: I don't know. We made quick work in there though.
[Cressidha]: I can portal us back, if you'd like.
[Ismene]: I suppose so. I'm not even tired this time.
[Bennarin]: May as well, I guess. Job done. Or we could–
Bennarin frowns.
Ismene cocks her head at Ben. "We could…?"
[Silvestre]: I might go train up on picking locks, if we got time. I'd like to get us some treasures in there.
[Silvestre]: Or…?
[Bennarin]: There is another tomb, at the south end, that we ain't had a look in yet. I might just go see what's what? But y'all do not have to come.
Ismene looks dubious.
[Gavynn]: While we're here we should investigate.
[Cressidha]: You shouldn't go alone. So.
[Cressidha]: Shall we?
[Bennarin]: Yeah. Just a look.
[Bennarin]: We can report to the Captain, at least.
[Ismene]: Well none of you are going without me.
[Bennarin]: Sil?
They arrive at the southern tomb to find a giant pair of sealed doors, and an Ethereal merchant stationed by a tent outside. This seems like a weird place to set up shop.
[Silvestre]: Oh hey, a poison vendor! *Sil says brightly* That's convenient.
Silvestre glances at the ethereal and says, "I mean a purveyor of useful stuff…"
Bennarin dismounts and cautiously approaches the massive doors. There are sounds of combat on the other side.
Sil incautiously approaches the doors and pushes against one. It swings open.
[Bennarin]: … whoa.
[Silvestre]: Oh, it opens.
Inside is another long Auchenai antechamber. A few small groups of people are gathered at the nearer end. At the far end, Sha’tari troops are locked in battle with orcish cabalists, who keep spilling from the mouth of the darkened passage beyond.
Ismene runs toward the fight.
[Cressidha]: Those banners…
[Bennarin]: I think we found the Shadow Council, y'all.
[Gavynn]: –was just going to say
[Cressidha]: Just so.
White Squad, naturally, charges into the fray. For every orc they cut down, another seems to emerge from the shadows.
[Ismene]: They just keep coming.
[Silvestre]: Maybe we ought to report this to the Captain.
[Silvestre]: Bet we'll get sent in, sooner or later.
[Bennarin]: Yeah. We better let her know.
[Bennarin]: … place must be full of 'em. Like ants.
Ismene giggles. "I was about to say, 'Isn't that a Scarlet Crusader helping them?' Then I realized, yes, yes it was."
Bennarin laughs.
Bennarin approaches a Broken wearing a commander’s insignia who hangs back to one side. He salutes respectfully, and they confer in low voices.
Ismene watches the dark haired lady with a staff in white robes.
Ismene whispers, "Bet she's a healer."
Cressidha produces a portal stone and looks at Ben. "Shall we?"
Bennarin nods absently at Cressidha as he steps away from Field Commander Mahfuun with a frown.
They arrive via portal in Shattrath.
[Bennarin]: Let's move aside.
Bennarin has been well-trained by Cressidha.
Mordecai starts, straightening up with a hopeful expression.
[Cressidha]: Well, I suppose we beat the other squad back.
[Cressidha]: Mordecai?
[Mordecai]: They aren't back yet…
[Bennarin]: Oh, hey.
[Ismene]: Hullo Mordecai!
[Mordecai]: Hello…
[Silvestre]: Colson's with the other team, sorry.
Mordecai seems unusually anxious.
Bennarin smiles crookedly at Mordecai and then studies his expression. His smile fades.
[Cressidha]: I did tell him I'd wait.
Ismene eyes all the sitting people.
Ismene looks over. "Have all those people always been here and I just never noticed?"
[Mordecai]: They're, um, they've come to see the naaru.
[Bennarin]: Hey, they're okay, yeah? It's Mr Atley an' Cole.
Mordecai nods. "I– I know. I'm sure they'll be back. I just thought perhaps they'd be back first."
[Bennarin]: We made pretty short work of some necromancers, so.
Cressidha nods.
[Silvestre]: Yeah, he's not late, we're early.
[Mordecai]: It's good to see you're all well, at least.
Bennarin smiles crookedly at Mordecai. He glances over his shoulder at Mizzy.
[Cressidha]: Well. I suppose I'll wait with you.
[Cressidha]: I did say I would.
[Ismene]: Maybe you should turn your hat around, Cressidha.
Ismene smiles.
[Cressidha]: Is it on wrong?
Cressidha removes her hat and inspects it.
[Ismene]: Well, I can't tell, but wasn't it turned toward… erm… on?
[Cressidha]: Miss Whittle said that position was 'dedication'.
[Ismene]: Ohhhh. I see.
[Ismene]: I thought there was an On way and an Off way. No wonder mine didn't work well.
Cressidha puts the hat away in her bag anyway.
[Cressidha]: I think there's more orientations, I just… don't know what they are yet.
[Gavynn]: Is the other group having trouble? Where did they head off to?
Bennarin shrugs at Gavynn, his eyes still on Mordecai, a line between his brows.
[Mordecai]: They're, um… assisting the bronze dragonflight today.
[Bennarin]: … they're fucken what, now?
Gavynn raises his eyebrow inquisitively at Mordecai.
Bennarin takes a step toward Mordecai.
[Mordecai]: I don't know the details. Colson didn't know the details either.
Bennarin 's forehead-line is going to be permanently etched at this rate. "Did Gerhold say –"
[Mordecai]: I don't know anything about Gerhold, um.
[Gavynn]: Do dragons pay well or something?
Mordecai shrugs helplessly to Gavynn's question.
Ismene says dryly, "I'd say stop being a mercenary about it, Gavynn, except that seems hypocritical."
Gavynn looks at Ismene.
Mordecai looks past Ismene.
[Ismene]: The dragons paying well, I meant.
[Gavynn]: No, my point is– why would you need to go off with a group of dragons when there's the Shadow Council massing at Auchindoun?
Bennarin glances back and nods grimly at Gavynn.
[Silvestre]: I'm sure there's a good reason for it.
[Silvestre]: Maybe the dragons had something urgent going on?
[Cressidha]: They deal with 'time'.
Cressidha does the finger quotes.
[Ismene]: Oh! Well, one assumes Jo knows and chose based on that. Especially the bronze ones. Who knows what's wrong with time?
[Bennarin]: … I sure hope nothin' is wrong with time.
Bennarin looks around warily as though time might be prepared to pull some shit right now.
[Silvestre]: I mean if something was wrong with time, maybe Shadow Council would be small potatoes.
[Bennarin]: Considerin' what they done to this place …
Bennarin considers the potential relative crisis levels. He frowns some more.
[Mordecai]: I thought since they were, um, assisting with… time-related matters… that they might… be done more quickly, relative to… our time?
[Ismene]: Anyway, we handled our part very well! Maybe next time, we'll handle that last part and deal with that Shadow Council for good.
Mordecai squints. "Ismene, why is there Shadow in your shadow?"
Ismene blinks at Mordecai. "What?"
Bennarin stops frowning and blinks at Mordecai. He blinks at Ismene.
Ismene tries to look at her shadow.
Cressidha looks behind Ismene.
Bennarin glances at the blue brazier and then at Mizzy's shadow again.
[Mordecai]: There's… something there.
[Bennarin]: What?
[Mordecai]: I don't think it's hostile.
Silvestre looks at Mizzy's shadow carefully.
Bennarin walks around behind Mizzy like he means to confront her shadow.
[Silvestre]: Shadow in her shadow?
Ismene looks a little more frantically and begins wiping at her shoulders. As if it's dandruff. Shadow dandruff.
[Cressidha]: … Hm. I don't see anything.
[Ismene]: I can't see it either!
[Silvestre]: What does that even mean?
Gavynn shrugs. Who knows?
[Bennarin]: Hey, Mizz. Hey. S' okay.
Bennarin wraps a hand around her upper arm reassuringly.
Ismene stares at Ben. R U SURE
[Mordecai]: I just sense… a little bit of Shadow magic? And I saw something move a moment ago.
Mordecai raises a hand and a quick [Dispel Magic] crackles across Ismene. Does that do anything? Maybe? Maybe not?
[Ismene]: Oh… maybe it's the new wand. It uses shadow magic?
[Gavynn]: We were over in those tombs for a time. Some residual magics?
Bennarin looks to Mordecai again.
[Ismene]: That's true, there was a lot of negative magic in there. And one of them summoned other shadows.
[Cressidha]: Oh. Yes. I did see a second Ben.
[Bennarin]: Yeah but he was not so good-lookin'.
Ismene slowly relaxes. Logical explanations.
[Silvestre]: Do you think it was that potion? Do any of the rest of us have extra-shadow?
Mordecai bites his lip. "I don't sense it anywhere else."
[Ismene]: I mean, I feel fine. Today, anyway.
[Bennarin]: Well, maybe it's that wand. We will put it away when we–
Bennarin eyes Mizzy.
Bennarin frowns.
Ismene does not like being frowned at by Ben. "When we what?"
[Bennarin]: No, it was what you said. 'Today, anyway.' You have been feelin'… off, a little. Yeah?
[Mordecai]: I'm sorry I can't quite… tell. Where it's coming from.
[Ismene]: Sometimes, yes. But we're seeing Estel about it tomorrow…
Bennarin nods firmly. "Yeah. Yes. We are seein' Estel. So."
[Ismene]: I'm sure it's just the wand. I'll put it away for a bit, after Estel looks at it too.
Cressidha tilts her head. She's watching Ismene's shadow like she expects it to jump-scare her. It doesn't.
Silvestre is looking between Ben and Mizzy, a little worried.
Ismene takes out her new wand to show it to the Gang.
Bennarin eyes the wand with disapproval.
Ismene holds out what is, let's face it, an arm bone. With a hand.
Ismene shows it to Gavynn, because it's Very Important the paladin doesn't think she's shadowed, then shows it to Mordecai.
[Gavynn]: Looks like something one of those Auchenai soulpriests would use, but I'm not a spellcasting expert.
[Cressidha]: Just looks like a wand to me…
Ismene eyes the arm. "I'll definitely put it away, then."
[Silvestre]: Mordecai, you seen this kinda thing on people before?
[Silvestre]: Is it… can it happen from a wand?
[Mordecai]: I've only really started to know how to detect it at all pretty recently, once I started learning Shadow spells…
[Mordecai]: So, um, I don't know? Miss Herald — Estel — she's the one teaching me, she might… know more?
[Mordecai]: I mean, she probably knows more…
Bennarin nods again. "Estel will know. About… a couple things it might be. I guess."
[Ismene]: Well, as long as I don't drop dead or start attacking people before tomorrow, I suppose it can wait.
[Silvestre]: Maybe get rest and fluids? That help with shadow problems?
Mordecai shifts anxiously from foot to foot.
[Bennarin]: If you start attackin' people I will sit on you, missus.
[Ismene]: I think I will go home now, though. I confess, I'm a little uneasy now.
Bennarin nods. He steps forward to take her hand.
[Mordecai]: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry. Maybe, um, a blessing– ?
Mordecai looks at Gavynn.
Ismene looks hopefully at Gavynn. "Paladins know different ones than priestesses. And priests, of course."
Bennarin also looks hopefully at Gavynn.
[Bennarin]: Blessin' of … Light, or Protection, or somethin', yeah? Maybe?
Cressidha moves over next to Mordecai, folding her arms.
Gavynn looks perplexed for a moment. "Um. Alright, then." He stretches his arms out.
Gavynn casts a Blessing of Light on Mizzy.
Bennarin smiles and nods gratefully to Gavynn.
Ismene does too. "It can only help, right?"
Mordecai puts on a tiny smile. He still looks anxious, but maybe that's less about Ismene and more about Blue Squad.
[Gavynn]: There's not really anything that's attacking you at the moment, but maybe you'll feel more reassured?
[Ismene]: It does. Thank you.
[Gavynn]: There's honestly not much I can do that you won't get just from being so close by the naaru.
Ismene frowns anew. Dangit. "That's… a very good point."
[Cressidha]: Good work today, everyone. Nice and clean.
Bennarin looks past Ismene to Mordecai. "Hey. They'll be back any minute, Mordecai, yeah? It's Cole an' Mr. Atley."
Mordecai nods.
[Silvestre]: Let me know if there's anything I can do to help, yeah?
[Silvestre]: I'm gonna head back to Scryers Tier.
Cressidha nods to Sil.
[Cressidha]: Have a good evening.
[Ismene]: I'm definitely going home before anyone brings up any more good points.
Bennarin nods and follows Mizzy. He casts an apologetic,reassuring look over his shoulder at Mordecai.
Out on the Terrace of Light,
[Ismene]: Do you want to stay with Mordecai?
[Bennarin]: No, missus, I will stay with you. He has got Cressidha, an' if I stay too he'll only get more wound up. He'll think he's got cause to worry. So.
[Ismene]: You're sure that you… you don't see anything, right?
Bennarin shakes his head. "I do not."
[Ismene]: The hair on the back of my neck is standing on end now.
Ismene sighs.
[Bennarin]: Let's just get you home.
[Ismene]: And you out of your leader-ly shoulder armor.
Ismene smiles.
[Bennarin]: Aw, thought I might sleep in 'em. They are real comfortable.
[Ismene]: They get in my way of putting my head on your chest.
[Bennarin]: Well then scrap that idea.
Ismene giggles.